Mosquitoes can often be worse in late summer because the population has had more time to accumulate. It doesn’t help that the West Nile virus risk is higher than at any other time of year.
You might think mosquitoes are worst in June. That’s not necessarily the case. Believe it or not, mosquitoes can be even worse in August and September.
Mosquito populations build across a season. They don’t necessarily just spike and fade. Each generation begets the next, which means by August, the yard has all the compounded output of mosquito breeding since May. Warm late-summer nights don’t help either because they allow eggs to become biting adults in less time. Late-season thunderstorms also have a tendency to refill every low spot and container that would have otherwise dried out. This has a nasty way of restarting the breeding cycle in places that didn’t seem to be a problem anymore.
West Nile virus also tends to be more of a problem around this time of year. It cycles between mosquitoes and birds, which means infection rates climb through summer and typically peak from August into early fall. Most human West Nile cases in Michigan happen in the late summer. So it’s important to not prematurely end treatment right when the risk window is at its highest.
Mosquito activity in West Michigan runs until temperatures regularly drop into the fifties. That typically means well into October. For best results, you will want professional mosquito treatment that continues all the way up until the time of year when mosquitoes go dormant.
If mosquitoes are still giving you trouble in August and September, Mosquito Squad of West Michigan Lakeshore can help. Mosquito Squad provides treatment through the full season. This can help you protect your yard with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a recurring 21-day cycle.
